Steam Pressing Iron With Automatic Condensate Removal

ABSTRACT

An improvement in a steam powered pressing iron, in which steam is supplied by a boiler. The steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body  5 , and heats the iron. A lever  8  is depressed by a thumbpad  9  to actuate a steam discharge valve  10 . The steam discharge valve  10  discharges the steam to a garment being pressed. The improvement includes a steam trap valve  36 . The steam trap valve discharges condensate to a discharge return connector  38 , through the return hose to the boiler. The steam trap valve  36  is a thermodynamic steam trap, for preventing the flow of hot steam back to the boiler. But when in contact with cold condensate, the steam trap valve  36  automatically permits the flow of condensate back to the boiler. Cold condensate is automatically purged from the iron without operator intervention.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Non-provisional application taking benefit andpriority of U.S. Provisional Application 61/408,331, filed Oct. 29,2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The Present invention relates to an improvement in a commercial steampowered pressing iron, as is typically used by dry cleaners, andcommercial pressing operations.

2. Related Art

Prior art is shown in FIG. 1. In using a conventional steam iron, theOperator must manually open an exhaust valve to get rid of condensate,and close the exhaust valve to block steam, to prevent wasting steam.When the operator opens the valve, it emits, not only condensate, butalso a huge amount of pressurized steam back to boiler.

If the operator doesn't open the valve often, condensates comes outthrough vents in the iron and may stain the fabrics being ironed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In the present invention, the Operator doesn't have to manually open andclose a return valve, because a thermodynamic automatic dischargingvalve detects steam and condensate. When the thermodynamic automaticdischarging valve is in contact with condensate, the valve permits theflow of condensate back to the boiler's return tank.

But when the Thermodynamic automatic discharging valve is in contactwith pressurized steam, the valve traps the steam inside the iron, toprevent steam from being wasted by discharging back to the boiler'sreturn tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique perspective view of a conventional steam iron ofthe prior art.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of an improved steam iron of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an upper side view of said steam iron of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a detail of an automatic steam trap valve of the presentinvention, with the button portion removed to show the underlyingstructure.

FIG. 5 is an oblique perspective view of the button valve and cap notshown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an oblique perspective view of the opposite sides thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Conventional Iron

FIG. 1 shows a conventional steam powered iron 2 c.

Steam is supplied by a boiler through a steam hose, to a steamconnection 4. Steam collects in a steam chamber inside body 5, and heatsthe iron 2 c. Lever 8 is depressed by thumbpad 9 to actuate steamdischarge valve 10. This discharges the steam, under its steam pressurethrough a plenum to a plurality of vents 12 (FIG. 2) in bottom 14 of theiron, applying steam to the garment being pressed. As long as the steamis liberally discharged, the iron 2 c remains hot and full of steam. Butif the iron 2 c sits idle for a while, heat is lost to the atmosphere,and the steam, giving up its heat of vaporization, condenses.

It is not desirable to wet the garment with liquid water, when the steamis discharged. So the condensate should be purged. Manual turn valve 16is therefore opened by the operator, to discharge the condensate througha condensate connector through a second hose, a condensate return hose,to the boiler for re-boiling. This involves some inefficiencies. Theoperator must manually open the exhaust valve 16 to get rid ofcondensate, and close the exhaust valve 16 to block steam return, toprevent wasting steam.

When operator opens the valve 16, it emits, not only condensate, butalso a huge amount of pressurized steam back to boiler. This also wastesexpensive steam. If the operator doesn't open the valve 16 often,condensates come out through vents 12 (FIG. 2). Condensates may carrydissolved materials from the steam system, such as rust or other metaloxides. Such vented condensates may make stains on the fabric beingironed.

Also, in the conventional iron 2 c, the fact that: the steam hoseattaches at the connector 4 on the side of the iron 2 c, while thereturn line attaches at the back of the iron 2 c near valve 16, makesfor some awkwardness in maneuvering the iron 2 c and the hoses, becausethe two hoses attach to different points on the iron 2 c and applydifferent forces to different sides of the iron 2 c, depending on thedirection of the iron's 2 c movement and on the way in which thedifferent hoses have been differently deployed. The conventional iron 2c may tend to yaw from such forces.

But placement of the hot steam intake connector 4 away from thedischarge valve 16, where the operator's hand must go frequently, helpsavoid accidental hand contact with the hot steam intake.

THE PRESENT INVENTION

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings which disclose at least one embodiment of thepresent invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawingsare designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as adefinition of the limits of the invention.

The bottom of the iron shown in FIG. 2 is the same for the prior art andfor the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts an improved iron 2 of the present invention.

Steam connector 24 is preferably located on the back 26 of body 5.

Instead of the manual turn valve 16 of prior art conventional iron 2 c(FIG. 1), the improved iron 2 (FIG. 3), of present invention, uses asteam trap valve 36, to automatically discharge condensate to dischargereturn connector 38, through the return line, and to the boiler.

The operator doesn't have to manually open and close a discharge valvebecause the thermodynamic automatic discharging valve 36 detects steamand condensate.

When valve 36 is in contact with condensate, valve 36 permits the flowof condensate back to boiler's return tank.

When valve 36 is in contact with pressurized steam, valve 36 traps thesteam inside iron 2, to prevent steam from going back to the boiler'sreturn tank. Valve 36 is a thermodynamic steam trap, sometimes called adisc or button type steam trap valve. As in FIG. 4, valve 36 comprises:

-   -   a valve body 40,    -   threaded return connector 38,    -   valve seat 42,    -   and cap threads 44 (FIG. 4);        to which cap threads 44 is screwed cap 46, as seen in FIGS. 5 &        6.

Button or disc 48 is captive between seat 42 and cap 46 when cap 46 isscrewed in place by its threads 50 to threads 44 of FIG. 4, and isthereby assembled to valve 36 as shown in FIG. 3.

Disc 48 is located between the cap 46 and the valve seat 42, in achamber formed thereby.

Steam causes the disc 48 to seat against the valve seat 42, thuspreventing a loss of the steam from the hot iron through the returnhose.

But condensate pushes the disc 48 from the valve seat 42, thuspermitting draining of the condensate from the iron 2 through the returnhose.

So, this valve 36 automatically drains the condensate from the iron 2through the return hose.

Button valve 36, also known as a disc valve, prevents the flow of steamback to the boiler. But when in contact with cold condensate, valve 36automatically permits the flow of condensate through valve 36, outreturn connector 38, through the return hose, to the boiler.

Unlike the prior art valve 16 of FIG. 1, no manual valve turning isneeded to open valve 36 (FIGS. 3-6). Condensate is automatically purgedfrom the iron 2 without operator intervention.

Thus the iron 2 is always ready to use instantly, whenever there is asteam supply attached.

A further advantage of the present iron 2 is that steam connector 24 islocated on the back 26 of body 5. This makes for a more maneuverablehose arrangement, with both hoses attaching to connectors 24 & 36located near each other. This makes the two hoses apply more consistentforces to the iron 2 when the iron is being moved. Said intake hose andreturn hose thus both apply similar forces to the iron 2 as said iron ismoved across the work surface, thereby minimizing horizontal twistingforces on said iron, and thereby minimizing a tendency of said iron toyaw from hose-dragging forces.

The advantages of, and claims to, the improved disc type steam trapvalve do not require any specific location for the intake connector 24.

However, the trap valve 36 does obviate the need to turn a valve 16 byhand. So it makes the location of the hot steam intake 24, on the back 5of the iron 2, more attractive than it would be if an operator's handneeded to be brought frequently near the hot steam intake 24, todischarge condensate by turning a manual valve such as valve 16.

1. A steam powered pressing iron, which receives steam from a boilerthrough a steam intake hose, to a steam intake connector; said boiler iscapable of receiving condensate from the iron through a return hose;said steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body 5, and heats theiron; a lever 8 is depressed by a thumbpad 9 to actuate a steamdischarge valve 10; said steam discharge valve 10 discharges the steam,under its steam pressure through a plenum to a plurality of vents 12 ina bottom 14 of the iron 2, applying steam to a garment being pressed; animprovement comprising: a steam trap valve, to discharge condensate fromthe iron to a discharge return connector 38, through the return hose tothe boiler.
 2. A steam powered pressing iron, according to claim 1 inwhich: the steam trap valve 36 is a thermodynamic steam trap, forpreventing the flow of steam back to the boiler; but for, when incontact with cold condensate, automatically permitting the flow ofcondensate through the steam trap valve 36, out return connector 38,through the return hose, to the boiler.
 3. A steam powered pressingiron, according to claim 1 in which: the steam trap valve 36 is athermodynamic steam trap, sometimes called a disc type steam trap valve,which comprises: a valve body 40, a threaded return connector 38, avalve seat 42, and cap threads 44; to which the cap threads 44 arescrewed a cap 46; a disc 48 is captive between the valve seat 42 and thecap 46 when the cap 46 is screwed in place by its threads 50 to threads44, and is thereby assembled to valve 36; disc valve 36 prevents theflow of steam back to the boiler; but when in contact with coldcondensate, valve 36 automatically permits the flow of condensatethrough valve 36, out return connector 38, through the return hose, tothe boiler.
 4. A steam powered pressing iron, according to claim 1 inwhich: no manual valve turning is needed to open valve 36; and the coldcondensate is automatically purged from the iron without operatorintervention.
 5. A steam powered pressing iron, according to claim 1 inwhich: the steam connector 24, is located on a back 26 of the body 5;with both the intake hose and the return hose attaching near each otheron the back
 26. 6. A steam powered pressing iron, according to claim 3in which: no manual valve turning is needed to open valve 36; and thecold condensate is automatically purged from the iron without operatorintervention; the steam connector 24, is located on a back 26 of thebody 5; with both the intake hose and the return hose attaching neareach other.
 7. A steam powered pressing iron, in which: steam issupplied by a boiler through a steam intake hose, to a steam connector;said steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body 5, and heats theiron; said boiler is capable of receiving condensate from the ironthrough a return hose; a lever 8 is depressed by a thumbpad 9 to actuatea steam discharge valve 10; said steam discharge valve 10 discharges thesteam, under its steam pressure through a plenum to a plurality of vents12 in a bottom 14 of the iron 2, applying steam to a garment beingpressed; an improvement comprising: the steam connector 24, located on aback 26 of the body 5; with both the steam intake hose and the returnhose attaching near each other, at the back 26 of the body 5, tofacilitate smooth movement of the iron.
 8. In a method of operating asteam powered pressing iron, comprising the following steps: steam issupplied by a boiler through a steam intake hose, to a steam connector24; said steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body 5, and heatsthe iron; a lever 8 is depressed by a thumbpad 9 to actuate a steamdischarge valve 10; said steam discharge valve 10 discharges the steam,under its steam pressure through a plenum to a plurality of vents 12 ina bottom 14 of the iron 2, applying steam to a garment being pressed; animprovement comprises the following step: a steam trap valve 36discharges condensate to discharge return connector 38, through thereturn hose to the boiler.
 9. A method of operating a steam poweredpressing iron, according to claim 8, in which the steam trap valve 36 isa thermodynamic steam trap, sometimes called a disc type steam trapvalve, which comprises: a valve body 40, a threaded return connector 38,a valve seat 42, and cap threads 44; said cap threads 44 have beenscrewed to a cap 46; the steam trap valve 36 prevents the flow of steamback to the boiler; but, when in contact with cold condensate, the steamtrap valve 36 automatically permits the flow of condensate through steamtrap valve 36, out return connector 38, through a return hose, to theboiler.
 10. A method of operating a steam powered pressing iron,according to claim 8, including a step of moving said iron across a worksurface; the improvement includes the steps of: locating the steamconnector 24, at a back 26 of the body 5; locating the threaded returnconnector 38, near the steam connector 24 at the back 26 of the body 5;said intake hose and a return hose thus both apply similar forces to theiron as said iron is moved across the work surface, thereby minimizinghorizontal twisting forces on said iron, and thereby minimizing atendency of said iron to yaw from hose-dragging forces.
 11. A method ofoperating a steam powered pressing iron, according to claim 9, includinga step of moving said iron across a work surface; the improvementincludes the steps of: locating the steam connector 24, at a back 26 ofthe body 5; locating the threaded return connector 38, near the steamconnector 24 at the back 26 of the body 5; said intake hose and a returnhose thus both apply similar forces to the iron as said iron is movedacross the work surface, thereby minimizing horizontal twisting forceson said iron, and thereby minimizing a tendency of said iron to yaw fromhose-dragging forces.
 12. A method of operating a steam powered pressingiron, according to claim 11, comprising the steps of: locating a disc 48between the cap 46 and the valve seat 42, in a chamber formed thereby,said steam causing the disc 48 to seat against the valve seat 42, thuspreventing a loss of the steam from the hot iron through the returnhose; but said condensate pushing the disc 48 from the valve seat 42,thus permitting draining of the condensate from the iron through thereturn hose; automatically draining the condensate from the iron throughthe return hose.